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News Release
Mass Gathering Marches on the PPA Office, Blocks Streets, and Set a Fire. - 10/20/20

On October 19, 2020, at approximately 8:00 p.m., a small group began to gather at Arbor Lodge Park in North Portland. Some people who gathered brought shields and masks with them. By 9:50 p.m., the crowd had grown to approximately 100 people and at 10:08 p.m. about 75 members of the group began to march.

The group marched east towards the Portland Police Association (PPA) Office with support vehicles following and blocking traffic.

The sound truck gave three announcements when the group arrived that said, "This is the Portland Police Bureau (PPB). The streets in the area around the PPA are open to vehicular traffic. Please remain on the sidewalk and be courteous to your neighbors. Do not vandalize buildings." The group immediately began spray painting the PPA office.

Some individuals stood on the sidewalks while others blocked North Lombard. The group used A-frame traffic signs to also block North Lombard. Some in the crowd climbed onto business roofs in the area.

At 11:15 someone started a fire on a billboard next to the PPA office. The fire burned the attached advertisement as the rest of the structure appeared to remain unaffected by the fire. The fire appeared to extinguish itself.

The sound truck then gave a new announcement that said, "This is the PPB. Stay off buildings, do not light fires, and remain on the sidewalk. If you engage in criminal activity you could be arrested and subject to use of force to include crowd control agents, impact weapons, and/or tear gas."

By 12:15 a.m. on October 20, 2020, the crowd began to dissipate on their own. With the exception of the sound truck, PPB did not interact with the crowd during this event. The incident commander requested Portland Fire and Rescue to check the billboard that was set on fire and roof of the PPA office. No arrests were made.

###PPB###

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